The Devotional

Papa “J” says

As we walk through the temple doors we are transformed into “saints”. Each Sunday this is a miracle of the flesh, but not of the miracle of the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:16

From a submariners point of view! It was Sunday morning and at 0800 hours the morning colors sounded across the harbor. Following colors loud booms were heard, then a familiar sound, the drone of many planes coming from the south. Just what we need shouted one sailor, “a good Sunday morning drill, wow this practice looks like the real stuff”. This is what many of the submarine officers and crew aboard the USS Tautog were thinking. The submarine duty officer, Barney Sieglaff said, “This is a fitting climax to the week long training here at the base”. “These planes look like they mean business.” Someone shouted. “These guys are overdoing it” Another shouted! And finally someone said, “Hey, this is the real thing, those planes are Japanese” Thus, on December 7, 1941 these submarine sailors were stunned into action as they watch with horror a red fire ball erupt from one of the battleships across the harbor. The first Japanese plane casualty came from a volley of gunfire from the subs, USS Narwhal and Tautog and a destroyer berth near the two subs. An excerpt from a book entitled. Submarine Operations during WWII.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15:20-24 Ever notice that many passages of scripture that are hard to interpret are seldom broken open and looked at from the pulpit these days? To me, this makes me curious and it also alarms me because Luke the physician in Acts 20:27 tells us of an event when the apostle Paul exhorted the elders in Ephesus to do as he did. That he was determined to declare the whole counsel of God, that he would not avoid or shun the teaching of the word of God.

In these passages the apostle points out clearly that death came by man. That the man Adam was given the choice to live or to die. Adam chose to die. This is a very important doctrine, one that should not be overlooked, it basically means that there is a total depravity in the character of mankind that will choose death over life. So if this is true then; “in Adam” all die! There is little that one can argue, it is that simple.

Since death came by the will of man, then by Man comes the resurrection of the dead. Those in Adam die, those in Christ shall be re-made, re-born or re-generated, “alive!” The churches leader in regeneration is Jesus Christ, the first fruit of the resurrection to life. After Him, all those who die “In Him” those who are belonging to Christ. Those who have left the total depravity of man, the first Adam, will be with Christ at His Coming again. Alleluia! Even so, come LORD Jesus!